Brit Awards plan super-group tribute to David Bowie

The Brit Awards will put together a super-group of stars to pay tribute to the late David Bowie.

The ceremony - to take place at London's O2 on February 25 - is set to honour the cultural icon with a music extravaganza that could see the likes of U2's Bono, Noel Gallagher and Damon Alban perform hits from his illustrious career.

A music insider revealed: "A few artists approached the Brits to ask if they could be involved in the David Bowie tribute as they want to make sure it is done properly.

"He was a British icon and they want to provide a credible farewell which can honour that.

"The band will be full of musicians who grew up with Bowie and were inspired by him, meaning artists like Noel, Damon and Bono."

However the group will apparently exclude "young" artists.

The source told The Sun newspaper: "It is unlikely to involve young acts such as Sam Smith or Ed Sheeran, but there will be a few artists who are already singing on the night who will be asked if they want to take part too.

"The organisers are putting everything into it. If they get it right, it will be epic."

Bowie - who passed away on Sunday (10.01.16) after a secret 18-month battle with liver cancer aged 69 - was nominated for eight Brit Awards in his lifetime and won two, for Best British Male Solo Artist in 1984 and an Outstanding Contribution Award in 1996, the same year he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

His albums are currently dominating the charts and his final record 'Blackstar' rocketed to the top of the Official Album Chart this week.

Bowie's 2014 LP 'Nothing Has Changed' follows in fifth place and his 2002 greatest hits 'The Best Of David Bowie' in eleventh.

'Hunky Dory' (1971), 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' (1972), 'Best Of Bowie' (2002), feature in the top 20 while 'Nothing Has Changed (Deluxe version)', 'Aladdin Sane' (1973), 'The Best of David Bowie 1980-87' (2007), 'Heroes' (1977), 'Let's Dance' (1983), 'Low' (1977), 'The Next Day' (2013) and 'Young Americans' (1975) all appear in the top 40.

And more than half a million Bowie records were picked up in the UK this week, including 241,000 albums and 167,000 singles and 19 million streams.

Meanwhile at the Brits nominations on Thursday (14.01.16), boss Geoff Taylor touched on the subject of plans to celebrate Bowie's career and said "working hard" on a fitting tribute.

He said: "We're working hard to try to come up with a tribute show that we think is fitting for someone who made such a unique contribution to music.

"We're going to try to make it exciting and spectacular and interesting."